Manslaughter charges will not be brought against the two soldiers who oversaw a gruelling selection exercise for the SAS in searing heat in the Brecon Beacons last summer in which three Army reservists died.

L/Cpl Craig Roberts, 24, from Penrhyn Bay, near Llandudno, was one of three men who died after falling ill during gruelling training on the highest mountain in south Wales during the hottest days of the year.

and Cpl James Dunsby, 31,

Witnesses at the time reported seeing soldiers on the training exercise in distress and pleading for water on an exercise in Welsh hills.

L/Cpl Roberts and L/Cpl Edward Maher, 31, were pronounced dead on the same day but Cpl Dunsby, from Bath, Somerset, died two weeks later in a Birmingham hospital.

James Dunsby a member of the Army Reserves, who has died after falling ill during SAS selection training in the Brecon Beacons

Catrin Evans, Head of CPS Cymru/Wales Complex Casework Unit, said: “Following an investigation into the events leading to the tragic deaths of three soldiers on the Brecon Beacons last July, files of evidence in respect of two suspects were passed to the Crown Prosecution Service for review.

“Our role is to review all available evidence in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and decide whether it is sufficient to support criminal charges. If this evidential stage is passed, we go on to consider whether charges are in the public interest.

“I have now completed a review of this case and my conclusion is that there is insufficient evidence to support charges of gross negligence manslaughter against the two suspects identified by the investigation.”

She added: “To establish an offence of gross negligence manslaughter, the prosecution would have to be able to show that the suspects owed a duty of care to the victims, that this duty of care was breached, that this breach was an operative cause of death and that the conduct of the suspects was so negligent that it ought to be characterised as a crime.

“Having considered a large amount of detailed evidential material, including reports provided by expert witnesses, my review concluded that the evidence available does not meet the required legal standard for prosecution.

Edward Maher, the second of two reservists who died during a selection exercise for the Territorial Army's SAS

“Our sincere sympathies remain with the families of the three soldiers who tragically lost their lives last July. We have written to them to explain our decision and they are being offered the opportunity to meet with lawyers from our review team to discuss in more detail, if they feel this would be helpful.

“I would like to stress that the criminal investigation into these incidents continues, with primary responsibility now passing to the Health and Safety Executive in line with the Work-Related Deaths Protocol. Given that the investigation is still active, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this time.”